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Re: legal/ethics questionFrom: ainsron (ainsron@sbcglobal.net)Thu Jan 4 11:45:24 2007
I don't charge the insurance company, it is charged directly to the patient at the time they leave the form. I don't charge for filling out extensions. This is the letter I give them at the time of submission: In the past, I have filled out disability forms for all my patients without charging for the service. When discussing this with other offices I have found that most medical offices charge a nominal fee for this service because filling out disability forms is a time-consuming process and its reimbursement is not included in calculations of payment during normal office visits or for maternity care. It is essentially non-reimbursed time outside of the doctor's normal provision of care for his patients. Effective immediately, there will be a $10 charge for filling out a disability form and it is due at the time the disability form is left in the office. If you present more than one disability form from different insurers, there will be a $10 charge for each form. There will not be an additional charge for filling out extensions. For pregnant patients who go on disability more than one time during their pregnancy, there will be only one charge for that pregnancy. This charge will be applied for forms filled out for all patients, both obstetrical and gynecological. If you have a financial hardship, you can discuss a reduced charge of $5 or waiver of the charge with our office manager. Ronald E. Ainsworth, MD, FACOG -----Original Message----- From: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net [mailto:ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net] On Behalf Of Kim Elise Goldman Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 10:36 AM To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L Subject: Re: legal/ethics question Unfortunately insurers will not pay and say you cannot charge the patient for it in most cases. I have started doing this for some patients who refuse to make re-evaluation appointments (to assess efficacy of non-surgical treatment, discuss risks, benefits, alternative treatments) but then they call with "a few questions" and I end up on the phone for 1/2 an hour or more. In each case the insurance company has denied it (though there are valid CPT codes for this) and has said the patient cannot be charged either. <sigh> If we had the same conversation in my office i could charge and be reimbursed. It is absurd. Kim On Jan 4, 2007, at 1:24 PM, DoctorJoe@aol.com wrote: In a message dated 1/4/2007 12:18:04 P.M. Central Standard Time, ainsron@sbcglobal.net writes: On the other hand, I do charge $10 for filling out disability forms, it is time consuming and otherwise uncompensated. I started doing it when an orthopedist told me that he did and another Ob in town started doing it at the same time. If patients have a hardship, I waive the fee, but it makes me feel better to be paid for what I'm doing! I think this is pretty widespread. The extension of that is putting some pittance charge on telephone calls you have to make to patients. I don't know if that's caught on very much, but the lawyers sure get some mileage out of it. Joe P.
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